There are many circumstances in which it is desirable to send out questionnaires or ballots, and then to be able to quickly and effectively compile the responses from the questionnaires or ballots that are received. It is desirable to accomplish this function in a simple low-tech manner that offers reliability. According to the present invention, a method and a business form are provided which facilitate achievement of these desired results.
The method according to the invention, in a simple, low-tech manner, facilitates marking of a document and reading markings on the marked document, the document including a substrate with first and second faces. The method according to the invention comprises the following steps: (a) Imaging on a first face of a first substrate portion first indicia inviting marking of the substrate at that indicia. (b) Imaging on a second face of the first substrate, in alignment with the first indicia on the first face, dense magnetic electronic imaging toner spaced elements. (c) Refraining from post heat fusing the magnetic electronic imaging toner. (d) Providing a second substrate portion first face in contact with the second face of the first substrate portion. (e) Rubbing on the first face of the first substrate at the indicia in order to transfer magnetic toner from the second face of the first substrate portion to the first face of the second substrate portion. And, (f) automatically sensing the transferred magnetic toner on the first face of the second substrate portion.
Typically, the substrate is paper and step (b) is practiced directly on the paper of the substrate (that is, without any precoating with release material). Step (e) is typically practiced by marking the first face of the first substrate portion with a pen or pencil so as to simultaneously mark the first face and transfer toner to the second substrate portion, as by completely filling a closed indicia area (e.g., box or circle). The first and second substrate portions are preferably on the same sheet of paper, which is mechanically folded to provide the second portion specifically below the first portion. Step (b) is typically practiced to provide toner which completely covers--to the naked eye--the substrate second face at the spaced elements. Steps (a) through (d) are practiced on the sheet of paper in the production of business forms, and the folding step is preferably practiced to C-fold to provide the sheet as a C-folded form to provide the first face of the first substrate portion on top of the first face of the second substrate portion.
The method also comprises the further steps of imaging an outgoing address on the first face of the first substrate portion, and forming a cutout in the sheet so that when the sheet is C-folded the cutout overlies the outgoing address. Selectively activatable adhesive is also applied on the first face of the second portion of the substrate adjacent the second face of the first substrate portion to allow sealing of the marked questionnaire or ballot to return to the original mailing operation, and in order to facilitate this a line of weakness is formed between the first and second substrate portions. Also, preferably, magnetic indicia is imaged on the second substrate portion first face indicating identifying indicia of the person practicing step (e), and step (f) is practiced also to automatically sense that identifying indicia at the same time the questionnaire or ballot marking is sensed.
The invention also relates to a business form, preferably a mailer type business form in the configuration of a ballot or questionnaire. The business form comprises: A first substrate portion having first and second faces. A second substrate portion having a first face. First indicia imaged on the first substrate portion first face inviting marking of the substrate at that indicia. Transferable magnetic media disposed on the second face of the first substrate portion essentially only at the first indicia. And, the second substrate portion first face in removable contact with the second face of the first portion.
The transferable magnetic media preferably comprises non-heat fused dense magnetic electronic imaging toner (such as conventional MIDAX.RTM. toner), and the first and second substrate portions are preferably provided by an integral sheet of paper separated by a fold line (which may be a line of weakness such as a perforation). Other indicia, particularly magnetic material, may be imaged on the second substrate portion first faced in alignment with the transferable magnetic media, to facilitate reading of the transferred magnetic media. Also, machine readable magnetic addressing-identifying indicia is provided on the first face of the second substrate portion. Human readable address-identifying indicia is also provided on the first face of the first substrate portion. Typically, the sheet is C-folded, having a third substrate portion on the opposite side of the first portion from the second portion, and having a cutout aligned with the human readable addressee-identifying indicia. Selectively activatable adhesive (such as rewettable adhesive) is disposed on the first face of the second substrate portion adjacent the fold line, and repositional adhesive is preferably disposed on the second face of the first substrate portion remote from the fold line, and on the third substrate portion on a part thereof remote from the second substrate portion.
The transferable magnetic media is preferably disposed directly on the second substrate face of the first substrate portion, with no intervening coating.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a simple yet effective low-tech approach to marking and reading business forms such as questionnaires and ballots. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.